Articles from the April 16, 2015 edition


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  • Cheney is among state's safest cities

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    With a good quality school system, well-maintained streets and a neighborly, small-town feel, Cheney has always been seen as a great place to live. According to a recently released survey by the consumer research company ValuePenguin, it’s also one of the safest cities in Washington state. Cheney, with a 2013 population of 11,117, was ranked 38th out of 113 Washington cities with populations over 5,000. Airway Heights, with a population of 6,441, was ranked 58th while Spokane with a population of 209,524 was ranked 112th a...

  • Kirsten Bleeker's adventure in Iceland

    LUELLA DOW, Contributor|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Kirsten Bleeker is the daughter of Doug and Carolyn Bleeker who live in Chattaroy. She is my granddaughter. In August of last year, a plane took Kirsten to Iceland where she would see a country that she called beautiful, different and unique. As an exchange student, Kirsten left the halls of Whitworth University to spend one fall semester at the University of Iceland. Kirsten and the other young people would occupy a dorm for one semester. There were plenty of opportunities...

  • Stop using 'it's for the kids' guilt line

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    As a product of the Cheney School District, I believe we have a commitment to our youth. But not at the expense of fixed income senior citizens through poor planning by the school board. The job of the elected school board is to be efficient and smart with our tax dollars, to plan and think long term. It seems to me that their first job is to get the state to pay for basic education. Buildings seem pretty basic to me. Second it seems that a little planning on projected student growth would have been a good idea 10 or 15...

  • Refurbished high school is a need

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    As a parent in the Cheney School District, I urge our community to approve the Cheney High School construction bond in the April 28 election. While a bond in February had majority approval, we narrowly failed to meet the 60 percent of the vote needed to approve this important measure. In March, the school board asked parents, staff and the community how we should address the overcrowding in our high school, and the response overwhelmingly was in favor of seeking a bond to help our students and school. Turnout in February’s e...

  • Vote 'no' for Cheney High School bond

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Please remember to vote this month, and please vote “No” for the Cheney High School bond. The pro-bond information we received in the mail, the automated phone calls and the letters to the editor repeatedly emphasize the crowded condition of the high school, but they do not make financial sense. Spending $44 million of our money to correct a few problems, then asking us for even more in 10 years to correct more deficiencies is insulting. Even worse, at least one of the concerns, the “crowded cafeteria,” is a made-up issue....

  • Think of the children, support the school bond

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    I was shocked and saddened by the results of the election, in which the Cheney High School bond did not have enough “Yes” votes to pass. I am concerned as a parent of two elementary students, as well as a professor in health and fitness education who works closely with Cheney Schools. Last week, one of my EWU students taught a lesson in which 120 high school students had to share a gym. This hinders quality teaching and learning, as well as safety. This problem is not exclusive to physical education. Overcrowding is for...

  • Displaying integrity in spite of obstacles and challenges

    MAY PAXTON, Contributor|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Courage. What a powerful word! What do you think of when you hear the word courage? Possibly a firefighter rushing into a burning building to save the person trapped inside with no concern for their own safety? Or a bystander jumping into a raging river to save a drowning person? Words like “hero”, “strength” and “bravery” come to mind. As a bit of an introduction, I am an orthodontist and I do not spend my day facing life-threatening events. When I first thought about writing this article, my thoughts were to write about...

  • Henderson tragedy opens eyes for more preventative legislation

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Two new laws are going through the state Legislature that will hopefully avert some tragedies from happening in the near future. The House recently passed Senate Bill 5381, which requires law enforcement agencies to notify family members before returning firearms seized from a person involved in criminal cases, such as domestic violence, or from someone being evaluated for mental illness. After an individual requests the return of their firearm, police have to hold the weapon for 72 hours after receiving a request from a...

  • West Plains Briefs

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Museum seeks phonebooks The Cheney Historical Museum is seeking donations of Cheney phone books from 1970 to 2000. The local phone book has a wealth of historical information. The museum has large gaps in its collection, and no one else in the community has a complete set. The community is asked to check those old storage spots and bring those old phone books to the museum. Call, text, or email Joan Mamanakis at 509-235-9015 or [email protected]. Airway Heights 5K9 event Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department... Full story

  • Brown makes Oregon State University honor roll

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Cheney’s Amber J. Brown, who is majoring in biology, was one of 3,767 students who earned a 3.5 or better to be named on Oregon State University’s Scholastic Winter Honor Roll. A total of 889 students earned a 4.0. To be on OSU’s honor roll, students must complete at least 12 graded hours of course work....

  • NCUR brings thousands of students to EWU

    PAUL DELANEY, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Eastern Washington University’s campus, and Cheney, will be a very busy place in the next few days as the school and community host the 29th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research, or NCUR, April 16-18. Eastern will host NCUR for the first time with the event bringing in an estimated 3,000 students and 700 faculty from colleges and universities around the U.S. and the world. “The opportunity to host this respected national event is evidence of the lon...

  • NCUR at a glance

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    • More than 3,000 oral, poster, performance and visual arts presentations. • Over 700 faculty and staff mentors • 390 colleges and universities. • 42 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. • 60 students from seven countries (Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia, The United Kingdom, Mexico, India and United Arab Emirates)....

  • CHS March students of the month

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Cheney High School has released its students of the month for March. The students are listed as follows by department, name and class standing: Dallas Brown, health and fitness, senior; Dakota Daniels, health and fitness, senior; Claire Israel, vocal music, senior; YaYa Jammeh, social studies, senior; Faith Kluth-VanDenElzen, family and consumer science, sophomore; Alexis Miller, world languages, freshman; Matthew Peterson, business, senior; Breanna Pomranky, instrumental...

  • Robotic Racers

    AL STOVER|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Joe Gardner (left) atttempts to start his racer while his classmate Delaney Gunther (right) watches. Mia Talley (center) waits for the signal to begin the race from instructor Marcie Dayton (not pictured). The Hallett Elementary STEM after-school program finished its robotics unit with students racing each other's machines....

  • Westwood Middle School reveals Term 3 honor roll

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Westwood Middle School announced its honor roll for the third term of the 2014-15 school year. Two hundred and eighty-eight students made the honor roll. These names are published below. EIGHTH GRADE 4.0 —Jordan M. Agee, Avienda R. Anderson, Jacob H. Berman, Nicolas J. Berman, Denis A. Buhalov, Crystalee J. Burts, Camden J. Butikofer, Katherine M. Clemens, Daniel A. DeVera, Sydney N. Eaton, Samuel B. Fix, Tayler C. Hart, Hyrum J. McCombie, Avery T. Minnick, Kohen W. Montgomery, Caitlin M. Nearing, Madison T. O’Callaghan, Jam...

  • Cheney Middle School announces honor roll

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Cheney Middle School has released its list of students achieving honor roll status during the 2014-2015 school year third quarter. These names are published below. EIGHTH GRADE 4.0 GPA — Julia Gundlach, Rachel Hove, Sara Nanny, Lincoln Oldham, Haley Pemberton and Rory Schuller. 3.9 – 3.5 GPA — Justin Abell, Jared Adams, Melissa Aris, Tiffany Bennett, Abigail Blazon, Angela Borodin, Joseph Champlin, William Christianson, Korbin Crandall, Tyler Dixon, Abigael Dotson, Tate Draper, Estefanie Duran Jimenez, Rhiannon Falkn...

  • Airway Heights' public works director search is underway

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    The city of Airway Heights is quickly taking steps to address its public works director situation. Former director Kelly Williquette, who helmed the Public Works Department beginning in July 2010, left the position back in March after he found a new job. City Manager Albert Tripp currently acts as the interim-public works director. Tripp was Airway Heights’ public works director prior to becoming the city manager. Tripp explained that the city is taking a two-phase approach to fill the vacant public works director p...

  • Airway Heights' metals projects are progressing

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    The three large metal manufacturing companies moving into Airway Heights are not quite finished but they continue to progress at their own pace. The Exotic Metals Forming Company, which began construction on its facility, located on the south side of McFarland Road at Lawson Street, almost a year ago, received a temporary certificate of occupancy back in February. The certificate allows Exotic to bring in their equipment and have it inspected by a third party. According to...

  • Cheney starts comprehensive plan update process

    John McCallum, Editor|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    The Cheney Planning Commission is beginning the process of reviewing and updating the city’s comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document outlining a community’s goals and polices guiding future land use, the extension of community services and facilities and other desirable urban design elements. Comprehensive plans are constantly changing as communities grow, and are required to be reviewed and updated periodically by the state’s Growth Management Act. Cheney’s update is due in 2017. City pl...

  • Spokane County rescinds seasonal weight restrictions

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    SPOKANE COUNTY – Spokane County’s Engineering and Roads Division announced April 9 that seasonal weight restrictions have been rescinded on county roads. Seasonal road restrictions usually go into effect in late February or early March and last for approximately six weeks. However, weather conditions vary from year-to-year and dictate the extent of the restrictions and when they go into effect. As the road construction season gets off to an early start, Barker Road from Chapman to 15th Avenue will be closed until Monday, Apr...

  • Last chance to tour Cheney High School

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    The public is invited to tour Cheney High School to learn more about the proposed $44.88 million construction bond. The final tour date is Monday, April 20, beginning at 8:15 a.m. Please RSVP by contacting CHS Principal Troy Heuett at [email protected]. Plan to convene at the main office and participate in a guided tour. The second vote on the proposed bond is April 28....

  • Bring out your trash - Cheney Clean Sweep takes place April 18

    Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Every year hundreds of Cheney residents come together to spruce up the town in what is known as “Cheney Clean Sweep.” This year’s Cheney Clean Sweep takes place Saturday, April 18, Earth Day, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The Cheney Clean Sweep offers a sort of “Brooms Day” celebration where residents and volunteers can easily tackle their spring-cleaning chores in a fun and cooperative effort. Volunteers will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 615 Fourth St., and then fan out in groups to perform a deep clean of Ch...

  • Medical Lake/Cheney court collaboration a smooth one

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    It’s been seven months since the city of Medical Lake collaborated with Cheney for court services and it appears to have gone pretty smooth. During a report, Cheney court administrator Terry Cooper informed the Medical Lake City Council at its April 7 meeting there have been 36 court cases — 19 traffic incidents and 17 criminal cases — from Medical Lake so far this year. Back in August, the Medical Lake City Council passed an interlocal agreement with Cheney to provide municipal court services and facilities. Under the agree...

  • Last-minute modifications

    AL STOVER|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    Hallett Elementary fourth-grader Connor Gall makes some last-minute adjustments to his robot race car, dubbed "Turbo Engine." Gall is one of several students in Hallett's after-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program....

  • Recreation revision

    AL STOVER, Staff Reporter|Updated Apr 16, 2015

    A park near Walmart, a 70-acre regional sports complex and a wheelchair-accessible van. These are just a few of the projects the Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department is considering as it prepares to update its master plan. The department had a public workshop April 9, to discuss some of the proposed improvements, as well as take suggestions from the public. "As the city's population increases, the facilities and parks must be updated and funds must be set aside to...

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